Process of producing forms for printing.



HENRY JAMES SYDNEY GILBERT-SPRINGER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING FORMS FOR PRINTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 675,828, dated June 4, 1901.

Application filed March 13. 1900. Serial No 8,539. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY JAMEs SYDNEY GILBERT-STRINGER, a citizen of England, residing at 35 Tavistock Crescent, \Vestbournc Park, London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Process of Producing a Form for Printing, (for which I have applied for a patent in Great Britain, dated January 30, 1900, No. 1,003,) of which the followingis a specification.

Hitherto in the art of letter-press printing the preparation and provision of surfaces for use in forms have been conducted by one of the following methods: the composition of individual character and space types by hand, the composition ofindividual character and space types previously provided in magazines by machinery, the composition by machinery of matrices and the casting therefrom of bars of the length of line desired bearing on one surface the whole of the characters and space separations required in such line, (this process being that of Otto Mergenthaler and the product being known as linotypes,) the preparation of a perforated strip in such manner that upon it being applied to a producing mechanism such mechanism is so controlled as to produce justified lines of what are known as unit-types, (i 6., each type an integral unit or multiple thereof setwise,) as embraced in the monotype, Goodson, tachytype, and like in echanisms. Now my invention is distinct from these processes in that I assemble either by hand composition or mechanical selection a series of matrices each representing individual characters or spaces of known dimension (such as the em-quad) and insert between the word groups space-matrices of special design. Sufficient matrices having been assembled to nearly fill a predetermined length of line, I justify them by equally expanding the space-matrices between the Word groups, so that the shortage is absorbed and equally distributed among such space-matrices. Both character and space matrices are of a form enabling their being used in thickness to determine line justification and in width to determine the set of a casting-mold when subsequently brought opposite one end of same. The matrices are subsequently separated and presented one by one to a suitable casting apparatus, a single character or space type being cast from each and the product assembled in the order of production, so as to form a line of single types with equal space-types between the word groups ready for printing.

Many of the steps of operation in this process can of course be done by handassembling the matrices in a suitable holder, expanding the spaces to fill a predetermined space in such holder, separating the matrices and feeding same to a casting mechanism, and later on distributing the matrices into the receptacles from which they were taken; but it is preferable to employ apparatus capable of discharging these functions, and such apparatus is fully set fort-h in my accompanying application, Serial No. 8,538. An advantage claimed for this method over that of the linotype or bar-producing process is that in the latter no correction of the lines cast is possible, and should errors arise the line must be reset and recast. The product of my process can be handled for correction precisely the same as hand-composed matter.

Advantages claimed in comparing with the unit-type composing and producing processes (Goodson, &c.) are, first, that matrices can be provided which will produce types corresponding with any required design in set width, and, second, that the spacing is equa ble throughout each individual l lne, which is not possible in every instance with unit-type, although it occasionally arises in some lines owing to a combination of circumstances.

The process hereinbefore set forth is capable of practice in a machine of the construction set forth in my copending application, Serial No. 8,538, filed March 13, 1900.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim-- 1. An improvement in the art of printing which consists in first forming a line of assembled matrices, then justifying the said line, separating the matrices and from them casting individual character and space types which form a justilied line of predetermined length.

2. An improvement in the art of printing which consists in justifying a line of assembled matrices for producing individual character and space types by inserting between l in order to furnish an equably-justified line the word groups of the character-matrices of character and space types. space-matrices each of which when expanded In testimony whereof I have hereunto set in set thickness, at the same time by idenmy hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 5 tieal taperin width assumes a condition which nesses.

determines the set of the mold, then M H H H, v equally expandingall the said space-matrices JWbb mm'hhl'sl thus dividing the shortage of the line equally \Vitnesses: between them and thus determining the thicki GEO. J. 1 FRANKLIN, IO ness which each individual space must have V. J. NORWOOD. 

